Asylum
Building a strong, well-documented case for clients fleeing persecution abroad.
Asylum
What is asylum?
Asylum is protection for people already in the United States who have suffered persecution at home, or fear it, because of who they are or what they believe.
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Protection is tied to a reason.
A claim rests on persecution because of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. General violence, crime, or hardship, standing alone, is usually not enough.
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Two tracks, decided in two places.
An affirmative claim is filed with USCIS and decided after an interview. A defensive claim is raised in immigration court, where it and a removal case become one matter.
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The filing deadline is the first question.
Applications are generally due within one year of your last arrival, with narrow exceptions. Filing late without one can close the door on asylum even where the claim is strong.
Our approach
How Olvera Law Office builds an asylum claim.
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Document the account completely.
We prepare the application and your declaration around what actually happened to you, then gather the records, witness statements, and country-conditions evidence that corroborate it.
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Prepare you to testify.
Your own account carries the case, so we work through it with you until you can tell it clearly and consistently under questioning.
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Hold every date the claim depends on.
The filing deadline, the wait before a work permit can be requested, and the renewal that follows are all calendared, so a missed date never decides the case.
Eligibility
Eligibility.
You may qualify if you are physically present in the United States and fear persecution on a protected ground.
How you entered and what status you hold now do not disqualify you, and a spouse and unmarried children under twenty-one can usually be included on the application.
Some histories bar or complicate a claim — a prior denial, certain convictions, resettlement elsewhere. Several are narrower than they sound, and withholding of removal or protection under the Convention Against Torture can remain available.
Book a Consultation
Start with a consultation.
As an immigration attorney, Mosiah Olvera reviews your case, identifies the strongest path forward, and helps you take the next step.
Related services
Explore related immigration services.
Your case may touch more than one area of immigration law.